Vucevic: The Serbs from Kosovo know who protects them and defends their interests

Minister of Defense, Milos Vucevic, said today that the Serbs from Kosovo who had set out on foot for the rally to be held in Belgrade on May 26, know who was protecting them and who was defending their interests, RTV reports.

"They know best who protects them and in what way politically defends them, and who protects their interests for them, and that shows how responsible the state's policy is in this matter, and I am glad that they will take part in the big meeting on the 26th," Vucevic said. 

Vucevic says that the demands of the opposition, which they presented at the session of the Assembly, do not concern the issue of safety, or children, schools, or all citizens, and that they do not provide any solution, but that their key demand is to take over power without elections.

"They are looking for, as they say, a temporary government, their government, which will lead the country in some unknown period, without elections, of course, to arrest and kill all political competition, to ban Serbia Progressive Party and to ban all private televisions," Minister of Defense said for TV Pink.

He added that they had requested a session of the Assembly with all items on the agenda, but they had not voted for that same agenda.

"They asked for a session of the Assembly with all those items that the President of the Assembly proposed, i.e. read their agenda, their proposal was practically accepted, adopted by the President of the Assembly and the majority of the members of the Assembly to be discussed yesterday and today, and Prime Minister Ana Brnabic came and all the ministers who are key to those issues that are on the agenda," the minister added.

Vucevic says that he does not dispute the fact that the Parliament is asked to discuss these topics.

"What the Assembly asked for, it asked rightfully, and I do not dispute that at all, because it is the place where all topics should be discussed, because no matter how heated the discussion or whatever arguments are used, it is better to take place there, rather than happening on the streets, bridges, where life should flow and people should function normally," Vucevic added.

He pointed out that the opposition had used the session to call for a new protest.

"They are not political protests, but political leaders organize and invite them, there are citizens who are rightfully upset about what happened to us and because of the tragedy, but today they (the opposition) are trying to instrumentalize it, materialize it, and abuse it because they don't care for accidents because if they cared, they would talk about it in the Parliament, on TV shows and present a plan," the Minister explains.

Vucevic said that everyone had the right to walk, carry slogans, and shout, but not to endanger safety, and public and private property.

The Minister added that the Ministry of Internal Affairs had done everything it could – had arrested the perpetrators, collected evidence, and reacted immediately. He added that October 5 and 6 would not happen again and that there was no overthrow of the state.

"They can gather to protest, go to the elections, whenever they want, and that's an option that's always been offered, elections are always a solution, that's legitimate," he said, adding that the country could only be run by people who had been elected in the elections.